"The admiral intends to postpone the bombardment for some reason," I ventured. "Perhaps it's too late in the day." Whatever the cause, it was now plain that we would not engage the forts. In obedience to the signals on the "New York," which were repeated by the "Brooklyn," the whole fleet returned to the former station several miles from shore. The word to "secure" was passed and presently the "Yankee" had resumed its former condition of armed watchfulness. That evening after supper there was a gathering of the choice spirits of the crew in the vicinity of the after wheel-house. "Dye," the chief member of the "Yankee's" choir, started one of "Steve's" little songs, which, although rendered very quietly in deference to the rules observed on blockade, was greatly enjoyed. The air was "Tommy Atkins," and the words ran as follows: "They made us sign our papers for a year, And dressed us in a natty sailor's suit; They taught us how to heave the lead and steer, And how to handle guns and how to shoot. We fancied we'd be leaving right away To capture prizes on the Spanish Main, And be raising merry hades With the dusky Spanish laddies, And within a month come steaming home again. CHORUS. "But instead we ran a ferry All along the Jersey shore, And our turns were empty very, And our hands were awful sore. We would give our bottom dollar Just to see a cable car, Just to hear a newsboy holler, Just to smoke a good cigar. "In times of peace we do not have to sweep Or carry coal or stand on watch all night; We do not have to scrub down decks or keep Our toothbrush chained, or brasswork shining bright. We never washed our faces in a pail, We never heard the fog-horn's awful shriek, We never ate salt horse, We combed our hair, of course, And we never wore our stockings for a week." CHORUS. "Suppose you 'heroes' pipe down there," came from the darkness just then. "What do you think this is, a concert hall?" "It's 'Cutlets,'" muttered "Stump." "He would like to make the ship a funeral barge." We sat in silence for a while, watching the retreating form of the navigator passing forward; then Tom Le Valley, a zealous member of Number Nine gun's crew, spoke up. "Do you see those two lights twinkling over there about where the 'Dolphin' should be, fellows?" he asked. Some one yawned and nodded. "Reminds you of a story, eh?" asked "Bill," who was leaning against the rail. "Well, come to think of it I remember a--" "Several years ago I happened to be a patient in a hospital over in Brooklyn," continued Tom. "I was almost well and about to leave the place when a man in the upper ward--"